


Mission: Royal Society

by chaletian



Series: the space between Natasha and Bruce is a neutral zone armed with mistrust and cynicism [4]
Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-08
Updated: 2012-05-08
Packaged: 2017-11-05 01:21:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/400356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaletian/pseuds/chaletian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is Natasha's territory. She’s read the file. She’s memorised the target’s photo. She’s dressed in a black cocktail dress, heels sharp in the plush carpet of a reception room in London’s Royal Society. She has a tranquilliser in her clutch bag and a gun strapped to her thigh. There’s a knife in her bra.</p><p>And there’s Bruce Banner, standing awkwardly by the door.</p><p> </p><p>  <i>AKA, Natasha and Bruce work some of their shit out. Not by talking about it. Obviously.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Mission: Royal Society

Natasha’s glad to be on a mission by herself. She’s doing what she was trained to do, the way she was trained to do it. There are no distractions. There’s no Clint, hiding in the rafters. There’s no Coulson at the end of her comms. There most definitely is no dysfunctional group of superheroes waiting to blow shit up. There’s just her, Natasha, on an intelligence brief from SHIELD, here to steal secrets from a Swiss physicist suspected of working for a remnant of Hydra.

This is her territory. She’s read the file. She’s memorised the target’s photo. She’s dressed in a black cocktail dress, heels sharp in the plush carpet of a reception room in London’s Royal Society. She has a tranquilliser in her clutch bag and a gun strapped to her thigh. There’s a knife in her bra.

And there’s Bruce Banner, standing awkwardly by the door.

Natasha breathes in for ten, and then out. She counts the beats in Russian, because that’s how she was taught. She catches Banner’s eye. He is startled to see her, and that’s her first question answered. At least Fury hasn’t lost his mind to that extent. She lets her gaze slide over to a nearby alcove, where heavy curtains fall in front of a bow window, and then back to Banner, and sees that he understands the message. They both move towards the window.

“What are you _doing_ here?” asks Natasha, voice low, when they’re both tucked behind the red velvet curtain.

“It’s a lecture on gamma radiation,” replies Bruce. He’s wearing a tux, and looks as dishevelled as ever. Also, a little confused. Natasha just stares at him. “It’s kind of my thing?” he continues. “I am allowed out occasionally, Agent Romanoff. What are _you_ doing here?”

“Mission,” she replies briefly.

Banner raises an eyebrow in disbelief. “At the Royal Society? I don’t think they allow that kind of thing here.” Natasha raises her own eyebrow, and says nothing. It’s always an effective tool. Banner just smiles at her. “That was a joke,” he says. “Is this about Reichman? I didn’t realise he’d be here.”

“How do you know about Reichman?” demands Natasha. This mission is supposed to be top secret.

“Fury asked me to look at his research,” says Banner. “He didn’t tell you?”

“Doesn’t matter,” says Natasha. It does matter, but it’s not Banner’s problem. “And, yes, he’s scheduled to attend. Fury sent me to get some information from him. What?” Banner’s practically smirking. Natasha doesn’t like it.

“I just really admire the way you guys sugar-coat stuff like that,” says Banner. “Get some information from him. How are you planning to do that, exactly?”

Natasha smiles. “I plan to ask him. I can be very persuasive.”

Banner grins and looks away, shaking his head. “Oh, Agent Romanoff. That you are. So, I’m going to go out on a limb and presume you would like me to absent myself from this situation.”

Natasha is about to agree, but she pauses, and considers. Hydra has been underground for a very long time, but they’re not half-hearted. If they’ve got agents with Reichman, they will have agents in the area as well. She doesn’t want Banner walking out of here unprotected. If someone recognises him and tries to take a little prize home, they could end up losing half of London. Natasha’s pretty sure Fury would have something to say about that.

“No,” she says slowly. “No, stay here. Pretend you never saw me.” She moves to leave the alcove, and hesitates. “Try not to hulk out,” she says, and it almost feels like a joke. Banner smiles at her.

“I’ll do my best. Scout’s honour,” he says, saluting sloppily, and she rolls her eyes and leaves.

oOo

Someone knocks a shave and a haircut on the door, and Natasha eases it open. Banner’s standing outside. He flashes his cell at her. “Got your message,” he says. “I thought I was pretending you weren’t here?” He peers around her into the darkened room. Natasha pulls him inside.

“Reichman’s talking, but I have no idea what he’s saying,” she says irritably. This whole affair has been annoying and frustrating, and Banner’s presence has, surprisingly, been the least of her problems. It felt almost – useful – to have someone she knows to contact for help, even if that someone is Bruce Banner.

“I hate to break it to you, but I don’t speak German,” says Banner, pushing the door closed behind him. From the dim light coming through the curtains, Natasha knows he can see Reichman slumped in the chair, neatly bound.

“ _I_ speak German,” says Natasha. “That’s not the problem.” She pushes Banner closer, too focused on the mission at hand to worry about the surprised look he gives her. He listens to Reichman’s mumbles for a minute, then turns to her.

“Ah,” he says. “He’s speaking science. I see your problem.”

“I’ve been recording it all,” says Natasha, showing Banner the tiny recorder sewn into her bag, “but I can’t tell if he’s actually told me what I want to know.” She is extremely pissed off. Banner mostly seems amused. She resists the urge to punch him in the face. (She is sure she never had to spend so much time resisting the urge to punch people before the Avengers Initiative, although she did have to work with Clint, so.)

“Tell me what you want to know,” offers Banner, and she briefs him while he listens to Reichman’s ramblings.

oOo

By the time they’ve settled Reichman’s unconscious body into a more comfortable looking armchair where hopefully everyone, including Reichman himself, will think he simply fell asleep, and made their way to the lobby, it seems that the lecture is over. Banner sighs, and Natasha glances across at him.

“Sorry you missed it,” she says.

He shrugs. “The price I pay for being an international superhero,” he says wryly. Natasha looks at him. His bowtie is seriously awry and his hair is a mess. They both know she could take him down in approximately three seconds and suddenly Natasha knows that right here and now she could do it and he’d just let her. “My mind is the superhero,” Banner continues.

Natasha shakes her head. “You’ve been spending way too much time with Stark,” she says, heading for the door.

“Tony’s a great guy,” says Banner. “You should give him a chance.”

“He emailed me porn,” says Natasha.

“He emailed everyone porn,” says Banner easily. “It was very disturbing.” They’re walking down Carlton House Terrace. It’s getting dark.

“You getting the jet back to New York?” asks Bruce.

“Why? You want a ride?”

“If you’re offering.”

Natasha sighs. “Fine.”

oOo

“You know, I really think Pepper would appreciate having another woman come to game night,” says Banner when they’re nearly back in New York.

“No,” says Natasha.

“Clint’s been crying into his pillow every night,” tries Banner.

“Stop listening to Stark,” says Natasha.

“It’s making Coulson very sad,” continues Banner.

“Will you all shut up if I come?” says Natasha.

”Yes,” says Banner. “And I promise not to involve the other guy if the umpire makes a decision I disagree with.”

“I’ll think about it,” she says.

 

FIN


End file.
